U.S. Philips Corporation

Rudolf M Lamerichs

Jan A Den Hollander

Reurt P Van Stapele

A method for magnetic resonance imaging of a density distribution of a first substance and a second substance in a part of a body which is arranged in a substantially uniform, steady magnetic field, said first substance having a J-coupling. In order to image the contribution to the MR spectrum by said first substance having the J-coupling separately from the contribution to the MR spectrum by the second substance, repetition of refocusing pulses is used for the generating of the spin echo signals, so that in the direction of a first dimension of a data matrix, in which the measured values are arranged, a phase modulation of 180.degree. occurs in the successive values. Furthermore, the method according to the invention utilizes spatial encoding in which the maximum strength of a phase encoding gradient is equal to half the maximum strength of a corresponding phase encoding gradient used in a customary phase code, so that the field of vision is doubled in comparison with the customary field of vision. After Fourier transformation and integration of the MR spectrum, two separate images of the density distribution of the first substance and the second substance are thus obtained. Lactate is an example of a substance having a J-coupling. Fat is an example of a second substance.

Method and device for spectroscopic magnetic resonance imaging

An object is placed within the field of magnetic coils which generate a steady uniform magnetic field. The object contains nuclear spins of coupled first and second types of nucleus, for example, CH.sub.n in which C is a .sup.13 C carbon isotope and H is a .sup.1 H proton. Magnetic resonance signals are generated in the object by RF pulses. Pulse and gradient sequences are generated for providing magnetization transfer from the first nucleus to the second nucleus via first and second channels. A display displays spectra formed from resonance signals processed by a programmed processor via Fourier tranformation of sampled values. A pick up coil is tuned to receive the signals from a corresponding nucleus which is processed by a corresponding channel. The process is volume selective combined with a Hartmann-Hahn transfer sequence.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Rudolf M Lamerichs